From Eisner Award-winning author and executive producer Noelle Stevenson (Lumberjanes, Nimona) and executive producer Chuck Austen (Dawn of the Croods, Steven Universe) comes a modern take on the ‘80s girl power icon for a new generation of young fans.
She–Ra and the Princesses of Power is the story of an orphan named Adora (Aimee Carrero), who leaves behind her former life in the evil Horde when she discovers a magic sword that transforms her into the mythical warrior princess She–Ra. Along the way, she finds a new family in the Rebellion as she unites a group of magical princesses in the ultimate fight against evil.
I’ve never been a big fan of reboots. All too often the studios just can’t get it right. But with She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, I’ve enjoyed it more than I did He-Man as a child in the 80’s. Yes, it’s that good.
Our protagonist Adora exists in the realm of Etheria. Once she leaves the Horde and the evil clutches of Shadow Weaver, she haphazardly runs into two members of the Rebellion, Bow and Glimmer. Unlike the majority on either side, the three of them were able to listen to each other’s viewpoints and eventually came to an understanding.
Throughout the series, now in its third season, you’ll witness great character development as well as life lessons. As a child, Adora grew up around Catra (AJ Michalka), her best friend and the only soldier that could compete with her in training. But as they grow older, Catra’s attitude begins to change as she doesn’t view their competition as healthy. Once a best friend, now an enemy? There’s a good lesson in friendships between the two. On the other side of the coin, once Adora leaves, Catra’s performances earn her the number one spot in the Horde. Her leadership and performance earn the adoration of a colleague named Scorpia (Lauren Ash). Their work relationship is complex and there are great lessons learned about separating work/personal friendships and effective communication.
Fans were elated when August finally arrived as Netflix debuted the third season of She-Ra. Here we learn more about Adora’s past, new characters emerge, new alliances are forged, and an old enemy becomes an ally.
I’m happy to say the only disappointment about Season 3 was the fact there are only six episodes. If you binge, you’ll finish the season in roughly two hours. As far as quality and content, I was pleased. The Rebellion was presented with new challenges this season and tested not only their dedication but their strength.
I give She-Ra and the Princesses of Power a 9 out of 10. It’s a fun cartoon series that all ages can enjoy. Adora, Glimmer, Bow, and the rest of the princesses have their work cut out for them in Season 4. There hasn’t been a release date set but based on what happened at the end of Season 3, we should expect a lot of action and a deeper dive into backstories.
Here’s a list of the voice actors involved in this project: Aimee Carrero (Elena of Avalor) Adora/She–Ra ,Karen Fukuhara (Suicide Squad) as Glimmer, AJ Michalka (The Goldbergs) as Catra, Marcus Scribner (black-ish) as Bow, Reshma Shetty (Royal Pains) as Angella, Lorraine Toussaint (Orange Is the New Black) as Shadow Weaver, Keston John (The Good Place) as Hordak, Lauren Ash (Superstore) as Scorpia, Christine Woods (Hello Ladies) as Entrapta, Genesis Rodriguez (Time After Time) as Perfuma, Jordan Fisher (Grease Live!) as Seahawk, Vella Lovell (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend) as Mermista, Merit Leighton (Alexa & Katie) as Frosta, Sandra Oh (Killing Eve) as Castaspella, and Krystal Joy Brown (Motown: The Musical) as Netossa.
She-Ra and the Princesses of Power is available on Netflix.
-Jon J.
Photos: Netflix